To the editor:

Recent news stories have alleged permits were not pulled for work which has resulted in the possible rescinding of our FEMA deduction costing homeowners collectively millions of dollars.

The homeowner must know what work needs to be permitted in the Cape and must obtain a permit prior to starting work. This permit may come from the contractor or the homeowner, but it must be posted on site, visible from the street, prior to the start of work. If the contractor wishes to start work without a permit, the homeowner needs to turn them away until one is obtained and posted. A licensed contractor will know this.

Here is a link to the list of documents and what work needs to be permitted in Cape Coral.

https://www.capecoral.gov/department/community_development/customer_service-permitting/department/community_development/building_division/permitdocumentcenter.php#outer-3210

Select the documents required for permits link.

I know how difficult it can be to get a good contractor in the best of times and, with a catastrophic event, everyone wants to put things right as quickly as possible. Here is my checklist in vetting a contractor.

1. Are they licensed to perform work in Cape Coral?

2. Do they have their own full-time employees or do they subcontract the work out to others? There is very little control over subcontractors if this is what they do. After the hurricane several out-of-state contractors worked under a local license. Once they are done, they return to wherever they came from. If the contractor uses subcontractors, then the local contractor should have a local supervisor on site to be sure the work is in accordance with the contract and permit requirements.

3. Can the contractor produce a certificate of liability insurance and have you as the homeowner named as co-insured? This is coverage that every contractor should have and will extend their coverage to you in case of an accident involving an employee or your property. Good contractors have their insurance carriers provide these written documents all the time and it should not be an issue.

4. Will the contractor provide a lien waiver for labor and materials prior to the start of the project? It should be for the value of the project. This makes sure that if the contractor does not pay their employees or material suppliers, those entities do not come after you for their money and you wind up paying twice.

5. If a contractor is going to provide a system, like a roofing or HVAC system, are they factory trained and authorized to install and warrant the system? Go to the manufacturer’s website to look up current authorized installers.

6. Does the contractor have a continuing educational update program for their employees? Good contractors always want the latest installation processes for their employees.

7. If there are materials specified make sure those are the materials used on your project. This may be the difference in a successful manufacturer’s warranty claim if later on you file a claim. Photograph those materials on site to show evidence that those materials were used on your project.

8. You may want to include in the contract that a receipt for the demolition trash has been properly disposed of in an appropriate landfill. If your trash can be identified at an illegal dump site you may be on the hook for more than just paying to have it removed again.

9. Deposits should be kept to a minimum and payments should be in accordance with materials and or work provided. You should not be paying for materials that are not at your worksite.

10. Know what the normal price of the work should be. After Hurricane Ian I had quotes that were two to three times the normal cost of the job. Now a material and labor shortage will run the price up a bit but if you wait, this demand and price should normalize.

I have had Florida licensed contractors give me all kinds of stories about how they have never had to do any of this in the X amount of years they have been in business. Some have tried to bully me into backing down. If this describes the contractor you are attempting to work with, turn them away. It may take a bit of work to find a good contractor but in the end you will find one, and the job will not haunt you in the future. Make sure all of these items are outlined in your WRITTEN contract prior to the start of work and you get a copy.

The only way to get contractors that are out of conformance to comply in a manner that protects you is to ask for these conditions and if they balk, move on.

I am sure the city will resolve the issue in some way with FEMA. But remember, homeowners that have caused financial loss to others by circumventing the process may be on the hook for more than just a permit in the future.

J. Caplin

Cape Coral